2002 Nissan Altima

I HAD PURCHASED A NISSAN 2002 ALTIMA FROM A DEALER AS CERTIFIED VEHICLE. I HAVE BOUGHT TWO OTHER CARS FROM THE SAME DEALER AND IN ADDITION ALL THE CARS WERE ALWAYS SERVICED BY THE SAME DEALER. SINCE LAST TWO YEARS THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT COMES ON AND ON ONE SUCH OCCASION I WAS INFORMED BY THE SAME DEALERSHIP THAT THE CAT CONVERTER HAD FAILED AND THE SAME NEEDS TO BE REPLACED . RECENTLY THE CAR HAS FAILED MV INSPECTION WITH TWO CODES P0420 AND P1217. THERE IS A SIMILAR RECALL # PE02078 ON 268,000 CARS ON OCT. 2002 (I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2005, AND HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE IF THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF OR NOT.) THE MV INSPECTION REPORT CLEARLY INDICATES THE FAILURE OF CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND REQUIRES REPAIRS AND MONITORS SET FOR RE-INSPECTION. THE INSPECTION ALSO NOTES A VOLUNTARY RECALLS NTB07-081 AND NTB03-070C FOR PRE-CATALYST. THE FEDERAL LAW REQUIRES EMISSIONS WARRANTIES (AS PER THE MV INSPECTION REPORT)FOR AT LEAST 80000 MILES AND I HAVE NO IDEA IF THIS WAS CORRECTED ON MY VEHICLE ON NISSAN'S VOLUNTARY RECALL. I HAD NOT OPTED TO REPAIR THIS WHEN THE MECHANIC AT DEALER INFORMED THE REASON FOR "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" AT 82080 MILES AS THE COST WAS EXORBITANT AND UNTIL I HAD SIMILAR PROBLEM (RECALL)WITH A FORD WINDSTAR VAN THRU" NHTSA AND WAS SOLVED BY THE DEALER. (I WAS ABOUT TO JUNK THAT CAR, THANKS TO NHTSA). *TR

MY FAMILY HAS OWNED MY 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA SINCE IT WAS ORIGINALLY DRIVEN OFF THE LOT. WE HAVE MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE AND HAVE COMPLETED ALL RECALLS. IN JULY 2005 RECALL 03V084000 WAS "SUPPOSEDLY" CORRECTED, BUT I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED DUE TO PARTICLES FROM THE CONVERTER BEING INHALED BY MY ENGINE. I HAVE 143,582 MILES ON MY VEHICLE. DUE TO THIS DESIGN DEFECT I FEAR THAT DRIVING THE VEHICLE IS A HAZARD, DUE TO THE CHANCE THAT IT WILL CATCH ON FIRE. I CONTACTED NISSAN CONSUMER CONCERNING THIS ISSUE, BUT WAS TOLD THAT THE ISSUE HAVE BEEN RESOLVED. THROUGH MY RESEARCH I'VE LEARNED THAT THOUSANDS OF 02 NISSAN ALTIMA OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE. PLEASE HELP NISSAN CUSTOMERS GET JUSTICE, WHEN NISSAN IS OBVIOUSLY AWARE THAT THE CORRECTIVE ACTION DOES NOT STOP THE POTENTIAL HAZARD OF FIRE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED SINCE WATER AND OIL WERE MIXING TOGETHER AND LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE BLOCK WHICH ALSO CAUSED THE RADIATOR TO OVER HEAT. THE ENGINE BLOCK ALSO NEEDED TO BE RESEALED. THE REMEDY DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE BLOCK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 230,000.

THIS COMPLAINT IS A CONTINUATION OF YOUR INVESTIGATION PE02078. NISSAN ONLY ADDRESSED A PART OF THE PROBLEM BY RECALLING CAT CONVERTERS. HOWEVER, THIS DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM AS THE ENGINES WERE DAMAGED CAUSING EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. THE PROBLEM IS ALL CONNECTED BUT THEY DIDN'T REPLACED THE ENGINES WHICH HAS SINCE BEEN UPGRADED. HERE'S A LINK TO THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS EVEN AFTER THE RECALLED PARTS WERE REPLACED (KEEPING IN MIND THAT NOT EVERYONE MAKES A REPORT). HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/NISSAN/ALTIMA/2002/ENGINE/EXCESSIVE_OIL_CONSUMPTION.SHTML NISSAN KNEW THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS CONNECTED BUT THEY ONLY ADDRESSED A PART OF IT. AS YOU REVIEW THE COMPLAINTS, YOU WILL SEE THAT THEIR RECALL DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. SOME HAD THIS EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM AS EARLY AS 20-40K MILES. I THINK NISSAN SHOULD REPLACE THE ENGINES, ALONG WITH A NEW CONVERTER AND MANIFOLD. IF THE WHOLE THING IS NOT REPLACED THE PROBLEM WILL CONTINUE TO REPEAT ITSELF AS ONE PART WILL CAUSE THE OTHER TO FAIL. A NEW ENGINE FOR THIS CAR IS ROUGHLY $2900 + TAXES, MANIFOLD $500 INSTALLED, NOT SURE OF THE COST FOR THE CONVERTER. I AM NOT BASHING THE COMPANY, I HAVE OWNED A NISSAN FOR 16YRS WITH NO PROBLEMS OTHER THAN NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. REPLACING THE ENGINE IS SOMETHING THEY KNOW THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE BUT ONLY CHOOSE TO ADDRESS A PART OF THE PROBLEM. I PLEAD THAT YOU INVESTIGATE THIS AS THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE UPSET AND ANGRY BECAUSE THEY DID NOT GET A FULL AND PROPER RESOLUTION FROM THE COMPANY. AGAIN THIS PROBLEM IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE PREVIOUS ISSUE. THE DEBRIS FROM THE CAT GETS SUCKED UP INTO THE ENGINE AND DAMAGES THE CYLINDER WALL CAUSING EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION AND EVENTUAL ENGINE FAILURE. I HAD TO REFILL (NOT ADD) MY CAR WITH OIL EVERY 200 MILES DRIVEN.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED WHILE IT WAS IDLE. THE CHECK ENGINE, BATTERY AND OIL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V455000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) WAS RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,683.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER BROKE AND DAMAGED THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE ALSO BURNED OIL WEEKLY CAUSING THE CONTACT TO ADD OIL EVERY TWO WEEKS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE CONTACT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING $105. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH. HE WAS ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY RESTART YET THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 07V527000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND INQUIRED WITH THE DEALER TO DETERMINE IF THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD FIRST NEED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AT THE CONTACTS EXPENSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER FOR ASSISTANCE WHO ONLY REFERRED HIM BACK TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 128,138 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 127,000. UPDATED 07-06/11 *BF UPDATED 3/1/12 *CN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V084000, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING EXHAUST SYSTEM MANIFOLD HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

I HAVE A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA, BOUGHT NEW, AFTER 93,000 MILES IT BURNS EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL, AND COOLANT. I'VE TAKEN MY CAR TO NISSAN DEALERSHIPS FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE, RECALLS, ETC. I'VE TAKEN MY CAR TO SEVERAL MECHANICS TO FIND OUT WHY MY CAR IS DOING THIS AND A RESOLUTION HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. NEVER HAVE I BEEN INFORMED BY NISSAN OF THE ISSUE AT HAND THOUGH IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE. I HAVE READ AND RESEARCHED ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE AS WELL AS OTHER ONLINE MECHANICAL FORUMS AND HAVE SEEN MULTIPLE RESULTS OF CUSTOMERS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. THE RESOLUTION FOR THE MAJORITY OF COMPLAINTS WAS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE DUE TO A CATALYTIC CONVERTER RECALL/FAILURE RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE, CONTINUOUSLY ADD OIL AS NEEDED, SELL/TRADE THE CAR. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS A FORMAL INVESTIGATION THAT IS ONGOING OR HAS BEEN RESOLVED. IF RESOLVED, WHAT SOLUTION(S) HAVE BEEN DETERMINED TO HOLD NISSAN RESPONSIBLE FOR LACK OF INFORMING CONSUMERS, NOT DOING MORE TO PREVENT FURTHER ENGINE FAILURE. WILL NISSAN PROVIDE A REPLACEMENT ENGINE, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AND SUCH AS NEEDED. *TR